REMOUNT SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23447, 30 September 1941, Page 8

REMOUNT SCHEME

♦ MINISTER REVIEWS PROGRESS (P.R.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. The headway being made under the Government remount scheme, in spite of the handicap of petrol restrictions and (he consequent cost of transport of stallions, was commented on to-day by the Minister for Internal. Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry). During the current season 16 stallions, he said, have been approved for subsidy, and negotiations for a number of others were proceeding. Although some districts had evidently experienced difficulty in securing suitable stallions, the officers responsible for the administration of the regulations had reported to the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. J. G. Barclay) that it was expected that the total number of stallions wc Id be not fewer than last year. Mr Parry said. An assurance had been given by the Racing Conference that funds would be available for the 1941-42 season to meet money paid as subsidies over and above the amounts provided by the act. The scheme, which had been splendidly worked by the Department of Agriculture and the Racing Conference, had been instrumental in saving the rapidly decreasing number of horses in the Dominion. The working horse was always, and was to-day in particular, a valuable animal. Official reports, the Minister said, showed that during the 1939-40 breeding season 39 stallions were subsidised in the various remount districts, and 790 foals resulted, the foaling averaging 59 per cent., which was a distinct improvement on the first year's returns. The amount of subsidy paid in the 1939-40 season was £5123. of which £1123 was provided by the Racing Conference. In the 1940-41 season 40 stallions were subsidised, the conference providing £lllß.